POST CONVENTION RECAP
The 28th Annual TOTFA Convention and Fiddler’s Contest turned out to be a most successful event. Some have even suggested that, "It is the best one in a long time." It was well attended by contestants, in excess of fifty musicians, and the ballroom was filled to capacity, between 300-400 onlookers. The Fredonia Hotel venue turned out to be the ideal location. There was ample room for the competition, space for the fiddlers to "warm up," a hospitality room with soft drinks and coffee, a restaurant, a saloon, indoor plumbing, and room for jam sessions, all under one roof. It was also refreshing to note the sizeable number in the audience, from the Nacogdoches area, and not restricted entirely to musicians and family members.
One aspect that made this event different from previous conventions was the Sunday morning breakfast. Association Board Members arranged with the hotel to prepare a Sunday morning breakfast buffet at no cost to the fiddlers and accompanists. It was quite successful judging from the number who dined on huevos rancheros, jugo de naranja, and other comestibles and were able to take advantage of the occasion to reflect, visit, and eat. Perhaps this will establish a precedent for future conventions.
In order to financially underwrite the convention, the organizers of the Nacogdoches Nine Flags Festival contributed $4000.00 and the Association Board Members allocated the balance that in part, covered over $7000.00 in prize money and some $3000.00 in additional expenses. This turned out to be a $10,000 event! It was quite a party!
First prize in the Open Division, $800.00 went to Wes Westmoreland followed by Roberta Rast $650.00, Tonya Hopkins $500.00, Carl Hopkins $450.00, Jim Chancellor $400.00, Brian Beken $300.00, Bonnie Riley $250.00, Andy Tindall $200.00, Brook Wallace $150.00 and Billy Hopson $100.00. The balance of the 21 places in the Open were awarded cash prizes of $75.00 and $50.00 and with 11th place awarded to Julie Amundson followed by Lanelle Hopson, Eddie Davis, Emily Tindall, Kim Brady, Jason Andrew, Scott Johnson, Anna Elseth, Butch Carnley, Heidi Lebensart and Phil Baker.
In the 0-16 age division, Dan Wright of Wimberly, TX won $300.00 for first place followed by Jess Meador $200.00, Jesse Chisholm $100.00, Sally Ann Wallace $75.00, Rebekah Enright $75.00, Lydia Elseth $50.00, Cory Blair $50.00, Jesse McMillan $25.00, Morgan Cook $25.00, and Bethany Wallace $25.00. Others in this division included Caleb Wallace, Madalyn Wallace and David (Rooster) Enright from Appleby, TX.
Prize money for the 65 and over and the Accompanist divisions were the same as in the 0-16 group. Winners in the age 65 and over group included E. J. Hopkins with 1st prize, then Earl Garner 2nd, 3rd Olen Blake, 4th Beecher Stuckey, 5th Bill May, and 6th Cecil Turner.
In the Accompanist competition, Anthony Mature was the first prize winner of $300.00 followed by Steve Williams, Bobby Christman, Ray Franklin, Jacob Johnson, Johnny Crisp, Royce Franklin, Paul Wallace, Ruthie Chancellor, and Pat Tom Riley.
Congratulations are in order for Andy Tindall. He was awarded a $500.00 scholarship to assist in defraying tuition expense at Texas A & M University where he is currently enrolled in his junior year. This is the first time in some time that the Association has been financially viable to the extent that an award of this nature could be considered without overwhelming the safety deposit box. Hang in there Andy and make some A+’s.
Mr. James (Texas Shorty) Chancellor was voted the Convention’s favorite fiddler and wife Ruthie Chancellor was named favorite accompanist. E. J Hopkins was the most senior among the fiddlers and the most youthful, David Enright. The most improved fiddler was Rebekah Enright and the favorite among associates, Ms Joan Beken.
An enormous thanks to Ms. Diana Walker, Chairman of the Nine Flags Festival, and to Ms. Pam Fitch of the Nacogdoches Convention and Visitors Bureau for their immeasurable contribution to the planning and organizing of the Convention. Also, thanks to Leslie Enright for controlling the registration table with assistance from Mrs. James Wright, Mary Ann Riley, and Joan Chisholm.
A big thanks to Jerry Dearbonne, from Houston, for keeping up with the sound system. Mr. Ken Wood, from Nacogdoches was the Emcee for the event and he did a "bang-up good fine job." Thanx aplenty Ken! Mention should also be made of the fine work by the judges; Jason Crisp of Houston, Stacy Dodd, Teague, TX, and Monte Gaylord, Oollagah, OK. Monte drove all night from Tulsa, OK to get here in time for the contest. Finally, a note of appreciation to the Members of the Association Board who gave much in time and effort to make this a most successful 2002 Annual Texas Old Time Fiddlers Convention. AMEN!!!
Saturday, November 23rd, 2002, the Texas Old Time Fiddlers Association celebrated a conclave or gathering of the Association at the Knight’s Of Columbus Hall in New Waverly, TX and was largely hosted by Anthony Mature and his parents Mr. and Mrs. Mature. The gathering was designed to make music, visit with friends, have some libation, eat barbeque and raise a little money for the club among other things. In all of the above, it was a resounding success. A whole army of musicians invaded the hall including; Wes Westmoreland, Carl and Tonya Hopkins, Roberta Rast, Danita Hartz. Also, E. J. Hopkins, Royce Franklin, Bonnie and PT Riley, Anna and Lydia Elseth from Garrison, TX, Steve Williams, Ruthie and Jim Chancellor, Dr. Jim Reina, Brian Beken, Andy Tindall, Richard Puckett, Earl Garner, Dr. Kim Brady, and there were others. (I love to hear Danita Hartz play the 12th Street Rag and Dr. Kim Brady’s rendition of "Ashoken Farewell" on her "high dollar" great volume, French violin [fiddle?]!).
Another thrust of the conclave was to raise some funds for the Association, which also turned out to be a robust success. An auction was conducted whereby all manner of goods ranging from porch swings to used vacuum cleaners were auctioned off. A special note of appreciation to those who contributed sale items to the auction and to the top bidders. Royce Franklin gave a porch swing decorated with all manner of Americana, hand made by HIMSELF. Tom Own, the Luthier from Colgate, OK contributed a violin that Dr. Jim Reina won by lottery and netted the Association about $600.00. Seems as if Stacy Dodd unloaded the whole parts department of the Lone Star Chevrolet in Teague upon the auction. This is only a sample of the items that were contributed for the auction. There was so much other, too much to remember. Thanks also to the high bidders, i. e., Joan Beken, Ruthie Chancellor, Dr. Kim Brady, and, there were others. The auction netted almost $4000.00. This was indeed, a most rewarding, healthy, and unselfish gathering. What a party!
The date of the first contest for the New Year, 2003, is set for March 29th in Wharton, TX. There will be more detail to follow in the next newsletter on the Wharton contest. There are others yet in the formative stage. We are looking at future contests in Mt. Pleasant, Wimberley, Bellville, and Fairfield. Until then,
Respectfully submitted,
Charles